


One Particular Harbour

by flowerfan



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Affection, First Kiss, Love, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-18 05:19:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16988760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowerfan/pseuds/flowerfan
Summary: Steve is great at coming with up solutions to problems, especially if the solution involves a day alone on the water with Danny.





	One Particular Harbour

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lavvyan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lavvyan/gifts).



> This is a gift for the amazing lavvyan, whose works have brought me an inordinate amount of pleasure. I hope I did your prompt justice!

Steve is in his office, trying to decide what the chances are of them catching a case between now and the end of the work day, or whether he can just let everyone go and call it a weekend, when Danny appears in his doorway.

“Knock knock,” Danny says, one hand reaching up to lean on the frame. The movement pulls his dress shirt tight across his chest, and it takes Steve a moment to focus on Danny’s words. He thinks it’s kind of funny that Danny assumes that Steve’s slow blink at the sight of Danny is some form of laid-back chill, and not a continual effort to keep it together around the one person that makes Steve’s insides light up like fireworks.

“Hey, what’s up?”

Danny comes into Steve’s office and sits down on the couch, then leans forward, his animated face solemn. “I’ve got some bad news.”

Steve’s brain runs down and discards anything with an emergency/life-threatening crisis tag, because Danny’s voice is steady, and his hands aren’t waving, and he hasn’t gone pale with fear. So at least there’s that. But who knows, someone could still be dying, maybe just not quickly? 

“What’s wrong?” Steve replies, mirroring Danny’s calm, not letting his concern sneak through.

“We’re gonna have to cancel for tomorrow. Grace still hasn’t finished that paper she’s been working on for her honors English class. She’s going to stay at Rachel’s and hunker down to get it done.”

“We can reschedule,” Steve says easily, letting himself breathe again. “How about Sunday, or next weekend?”

“Sunday she’s going to Charlie’s soccer game, and next weekend she’s booked too,” Danny says, counting off on his fingers. “I’m really sorry, I know you put a lot of effort into her present.”

Steve pushes down his disappointment and tries to think of a solution. Grace has been talking nonstop lately about sailing – one of her best friends has a sailboat, and is thinking about racing in college. As a Christmas gift, Steve had arranged to borrow a boat and take Grace and Danny out to show Grace some of the basics.

It was also a perfect way to ensure that Steve got an entire day to hang out with Danny, maybe even a sunset sail to return the boat to the marina after they dropped Grace off.

There’s clearly a way to salvage the plan, although Steve will have to set it up right, or Danny will balk.

“Oh, man, that’s really too bad,” he begins. “I was really looking forward to spending that time with Grace.” 

“I know. Me too,” Danny says, dejected.

Steve hesitates – maybe he shouldn’t be taking Danny out all day? Maybe he’d rather hang around Grace and help with her paper?

“I even tried asking Grace if she could come sailing if we left later in the day,” Danny continues, “but she’s got a cheer meeting tomorrow night. Her schedule is ridiculous, honestly.”

“So you’re free tomorrow?”

Danny raises an eyebrow. “Well, yeah, I was going to go sailing.”

“We should just go, the two of us,” Steve says quickly, before he can back out. “Mamo’s friend wants to sell the boat, and I told him I’d put it through its paces, look at it with an outsider’s eye, so he can decide whether he needs to fix anything up before he starts showing it.”

Danny sits back on the couch, a smile tugging at his lips. “So, you have to go anyway.”

“Yup.”

“And you need another hand?”

Steve cheers inwardly at how well this is going.

“I could do it myself, I suppose, but it’s definitely safer with two.” There, that should do it.

Danny smirks. “As if any activity with you could be defined as ‘safe.’ Sure, I’ll come along.”

The office phone rings, and Steve presses the intercom. 

“What’s up?”

Tani’s voice comes on the line. “Boss, we-”

 _Don’t say ‘caught a case,’_ Steve pleads to himself.

“-wondered if you and Danny wanted to come out for a drink. Junior actually finished his paperwork on that filling station hold-up from last week and he’s feeling like celebrating.”

Steve looks up at Danny, who is nodding his head. He might just have to send a thank-you note to Grace’s English teacher for keeping her occupied this weekend – and then an even bigger thank-you to Gracie.

“Sounds good to us. Lead the way.”

*****  
Junior takes them to a dive bar near Waikiki and they commandeer a sticky table in the back. Adam and Jerry have come along as well, so they’ve got a good sized group. Soon they’re digging into the free popcorn and arguing about whether to play it safe with beer or try the mostly-not-watered down cocktails.

Danny insists on a Blue Hawaiian, probably just to make Steve grumble at him, which he is happy to do. He’s also happy to sneak little sips as often as possible, since he has to lean into Danny to do it. Danny’s in the seat by the wall, with Steve next to him and Tani on Steve’s left. Jerry’s got the end, and Adam and Junior are across from Steve and Danny. 

Adam opts for a Mai Tai, and Steve frowns when Danny and Adam swap drinks for a few minutes.

“It’s like you guys are eighteen and never had a mixed drink before,” Steve comments, as he starts his second beer.

“Admit it, Steve, you wish you ordered one too,” Tani says. She’s swirling the fruit topped stirrer in her drink, something with rum and mango. It’s too bad Danny hasn’t asked for a taste of that one, it would give Steve another excuse to lean over.

But Tani does all the work for him, sliding the drink over towards Adam and in so doing, shifting just a bit closer to Steve, who in turn shuffles his chair just an inch to the right. Now he’s pressed up against Danny practically from shoulder to knee.

Lou shows up, grabbing a chair from a nearby table, twirling it around, and shoving it in next to Jerry. Now they’re all squished together. There’s an argument over who’s going to get up and get more popcorn from the machine, but then the server comes over and everyone is distracted as they place their orders for various greasy appetizers.

Steve drinks the last of Danny’s Blue Hawaiian and orders him another one. “You know, there’s pineapple juice in here,” Steve says.

“I’m not opposed to the judicious use of pineapple where it belongs,” Danny says low in Steve’s ear. “In the right place, at the right time, I don’t have any problem with pineapple at all.” It sends a shiver through Steve’s body, and he hastily shifts to try to give himself some room. This just pushes his thigh against Danny’s, and Danny smirks, pushing back.

“Settle down, boys, food’s here,” Lou announces, and everyone is occupied with sorting out their fries and mozzarella sticks. Danny and Adam got nachos, and Danny digs in eagerly, the cheese threatening to slide off as Danny raises a loaded chip to his mouth. Danny chases the escaping bit with his tongue, catching Steve’s eye as he licks his lips clean.

“Want some?” Danny inclines his head towards the nachos, and Steve thinks he’s going to burst.

Gracelessly pushing himself away from the table, Steve waves his hand vaguely towards the other side of the room. “I’m gonna check out the band,” he says, and stumbles off. What he really needs is some fresh air, anything to bring him back to his senses and stop this pointless lusting after his partner, but it would look strange to leave right now. Danny would probably follow him to see what’s wrong.

Of course, Danny follows him anyway. Steve is paying no attention whatsoever to the guitarist singing old R&B, and so he just stares blankly at Danny when he asks him how he likes it.

When the song ends and things get fractionally quieter, Danny puts a hand on his arm.

“Steve, you okay?”

“What? Yeah, yeah of course.”

Danny looks quizzically at him, but then Tani and Junior join them, Tani wanting to dance and Junior obliging her. Danny and Steve find themselves a spot by the wall where they can watch the kids make fools of themselves, and when Danny leans over and whispers commentary into Steve’s ear, his boozy breath warm, Steve lets himself enjoy it.

He wishes he could ask Danny to dance, find that moment where you can just tell that a slow song is about to start, drag him onto the dance floor and then – oops – might as well just put your arms around me and sway for a little while, what do you say? Steve wants Danny to rest his head on Steve’s shoulder, so Steve can press his nose into his hair. Wants to feel Danny’s hand come around and press at the small of his back, fingers kneading into his muscles. Wants to hear him hum along to the music, singing along to the chorus of a love song, pressing his heat against Steve’s yearning body.

But for now, he’ll settle for buying Danny another drink, and watching him grin in the company of their friends.

*****

“Thank god,” Danny says, as Steve hands him a thermos filled with coffee. It’s almost noon, far later than Steve had planned to leave on their day sail, but given the number of drinks each of them had imbibed last night Steve thinks they deserve kudos for making it down to the marina at all.

They make small talk as Steve powers up the boat and takes it out of the harbor. Danny’s cheerful, wearing dark shorts and a blue t-shirt, and amazingly doesn’t seem hungover. Together they take the cover off the mainsail and stow the bumpers, Steve giving Danny instructions on basic water safety and a run down of all the equipment on the boat. Mamo’s friend has owned the 35” sloop for almost twenty years, but he kept it in good condition, and Steve is excited about getting to play with it.

They’ve put up the main and Steve is about to let out the jib when Danny elbows him out of the way. “You steer, I’ll handle this. Head a little closer to the wind when I tell you to.”

Steve stares at Danny, and Danny smirks. “You know how they call it the East Coast, where Jersey is? Emphasis on ‘coast’? You get that means I grew up near the water too?”

“I know,” Steve says. “But you never said you could sail.”

Danny turns the winch, looking up at the sail until he’s satisfied, then winds the line neatly around the cleat. “Guess you never asked.”

Steve huffs. “Anything else you want to tell me? It’s been more than eight years, I would’ve thought we’d covered everything.”

Danny gives him an assessing look, much like how he gazed at the sail a moment ago. “Anything you want to ask?”

Steve can’t help but think there’s something going unsaid in this conversation, but he can’t quite put his finger on it.

They sail up to and around Diamond Head, close-hauled in deep blue water, the occasional sea turtle making an appearance. Danny comments on how he really still hasn’t gotten tired of the sight, and when Steve glances over at him, he finds Danny looking right back, an easy smile on his handsome face.

This is the kind of moment Steve wants to preserve forever, hold tight in his memory and never let it go. Danny has shucked his sneakers at some point, and he’s wiggling his toes as he leans back and raises his face to the sun. Although sunglasses hide his eyes, Steve can imagine how they’re sparkling with pleasure.

“Having a good time?” Steve can’t resist asking.

Danny turns towards Steve, directing that brilliant grin right at him. “I really am, buddy.”

Of course, that’s when the wind starts to pick up, and Steve has to turn his attention from his infatuation to more practical matters. Steve had hoped to try out the wind seeker headsail, but the wind is too strong. Instead they start to plot their way home, tacking back and forth towards Waikiki. 

The increased windspeed is nothing Steve can’t handle, though, and the way the boat heels and flies over the waves is exhilarating. Danny seems to be enjoying it too, smile flashing and muscles flexing each time he winches the sail in tight. He hasn’t even accused Steve of putting them in danger yet.

They’re still a good distance from the harbour, however, when Steve spots dark clouds on the horizon. “Squall coming,” he says.

Danny frowns at him as he tightens the winch after yet another tack. “How bad?”

“We’ll know soon enough.” Within minutes the rain is pouring down on them, the sea choppy with it. The sloop is crashing through the waves, and taking water over the bow. “We’ve got to take in sail.”

“Which one first?” Danny asks.

Steve motions towards the jib, but when they try to roll it up, something is wrong. “I think the line is tangled,” Steve says. “Take the wheel, I’ll go fix it.”

The deck is slippery as Steve makes his way forward, and the water in his eyes isn’t helping. He almost loses his balance as the boat slams down over a wave, twisting sideways in a gust of wind. Steve looks back to see the boom swinging wildly, hitting Danny and sending him flying.

Steve feels a rush of panic and climbs back as fast as he can, shouting Danny’s name. The jib is in his way, the heavy canvas flapping this way and that – Danny must have been trying to let it out and prevent the tack before he was hit. 

“Danny!” Steve screams again. Danny still hasn’t answered him, and Steve can’t see where he is – if he went over the side in this weather, with the boat moving at this speed, it’s going to be next to impossible to find him. Not that that would stop Steve from trying. “Danny!”

The seconds it takes Steve to get back to the cockpit feel like forever, and it’s only the sight of Danny crumpled on the cockpit floor that allows Steve to catch a gasping breath.

“Danny, you okay? Danny?” Steve is on his knees next to him, his hands cradling his head and running down his body, searching for injuries. The boat is still tossing and jerking in the wind, completely out of control, but Steve can’t worry about that now. “Danny, hey, you with me?”

Danny doesn’t seem injured, but he lets out a low moan as he blinks his eyes open. “Steve?”

“You’re okay, I think you got hit on the head.”

“Sure feels like it. Fuck.”

“Can you sit up?”

Steve helps Danny sit, bracing himself carefully. 

“What’s going on?”

Steve shrugs, like it’s not a big deal that their boat is flailing about in the wind, no one watching where they’re going. Luckily it’s a big ocean, and they aren’t that close to shore. “Wind must have hit us wrong, going over a wave. It’ll be okay.”

“Can I – should I-” Danny makes to get up, and Steve stops him with a firm hand to the shoulder.

“Let me get us back on course. Stay here for now, okay?”

Danny nods. Steve straightens up, and considers his options. He’s not sure he wants to go forward again to risk trying to untangle the jib, not without Danny on the wheel. Just as he’s contemplating reefing the main, he realizes that the wind is easing up, and the rain has completely stopped. 

Danny hefts himself up on to the seat, and stares around at the sea. “You’re always telling me it doesn’t rain for very long around here. Guess you’re right.”

Danny takes the wheel, raising an eyebrow at Steve when he starts to object. “I’m fine, Steve, relax.”

With a sigh, Steve goes forward and gets the jib straightened out. They check the charts and get themselves back on course, sailing briskly and without incident back towards the marina. Steve finds them each cold bottles of water and pulls out the container of cheese and crackers he had prepared earlier, and Danny gives Steve a sweet smile as Steve pops a cracker into Danny’s mouth.

They’re both soaked through, and Danny admits to having a bit of a headache, but Steve’s still going to hang on to this memory, too.

They’ve almost reached the shore when Danny tugs on Steve’s arm. “Hey, look.”

Arching over Diamond Head is a huge rainbow. It’s one of the biggest Steve has ever seen, shining brilliantly in the sun.

“That’s pretty cool,” Steve says. 

Danny steps closer, and Steve can feel the heat of his body through their wet clothes. “Beautiful.”

Steve turns, and Danny is looking directly at him, sunglasses long gone, blue eyes shining strong and clear.

“Um,” Steve is momentarily confused at the jittery feeling in his stomach – he doesn’t get seasick. “Yeah, it’s a spectacular rainbow.”

Danny smiles fondly at him, and his nose wrinkles in that way that means he’s a little amused. “Figured after a date like this, you’d know I wasn’t talking about the rainbow.”

“You… you knew?” Because of course Steve had wanted it to be a date, had wanted it to be the first of many, or, well, another of many, because it’s really, really not the first time he’s tried to woo Danny, without ever doing any actual obvious wooing.

Danny leans closer to Steve, putting a hand on his shoulder, and tilting his head up just a little. “I hoped.”

And then they’re kissing, both of them moving at the same time, lips pressing together perfectly. Danny tastes like salt water and Ritz crackers, and they hardly hold the kiss for long enough to satisfy either of them before Danny pulls back and waves vaguely towards the wheel.

“Probably shouldn’t run into the dock or anything,” Danny says, adjusting their course.

“We’re not close enough to the dock to run into it.”

“Or any of those other fine boats.”

Danny has a point – there are a number of other vessels approaching the harbour. Reluctantly, Steve nods, and they go about preparing to dock. 

But every time they pass each other, stowing the sails and getting out the bumpers, Steve lets himself touch Danny. It’s on purpose now, a hand on his shoulder or running down his bicep, resting gently at his waist. And every time, Danny gazes at Steve and smiles.

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from Jimmy Buffett's song (written by Jimmy Buffett and Hawaiian-born Tahitian musician Bobby Holcomb) - and if it isn't clear, _Danny_ is the one particular harbour where Steve feels at home. Bonus points to anyone who noticed the other Jimmy Buffett song reference in the story!


End file.
